Chicago Carjacking questions – IOTW Report

Chicago Carjacking questions

CWB:

Carjacking questions. We get a lot of ‘em.

So, as vehicular hijackings are being reported even more frequently in 2021 than during 2020’s disaster, let’s take a minute here to answer a few of the more common inquiries.

Why are there so many carjackings?

Chicago police are blaming gangs and the widespread use of masks during the COVID pandemic for last year’s 135% increase in carjacking cases. (Hopefully, you’re getting a good laugh out of the mask-blaming. We did.)

Beat cops we’ve spoken with say one reason for the increase is that carjacking crews are committing two, three, four, and sometimes even more hijackings in a matter of hours.

The carjackers, who are usually young and often juveniles, are taking the cars for recreation. It’s fun for them.

In Lincoln Park on Friday, a carjacking team took a car at gunpoint in the 1100 block of West Montana around 7 p.m. Less than 20 minutes later, they abandoned the stolen car and carjacked another driver in the 400 block of West Roslyn.

Monday evening, armed men took a car at gunpoint in Chinatown. That car was found abandoned less than 30 minutes later.

But some carjacked rides are retained by hijackers who use them to commit other crimes.

In an email to her constituents last week, Lincoln Park Alderman Michele Smith (43rd), a former federal prosecutor, pointed to a lack of consequences as another reason for the city’s hijacking problem.

“Juveniles are highly involved in carjackings,” Smith wrote. “Unfortunately, Illinois changed the law in 2016 so that arrests for armed carjacking are no longer treated as automatically adult crimes. An effort to change the law I championed in 2018 failed in Springfield. Since then, carjackings by juveniles have skyrocketed.”

What kinds of cars are being taken? more

Chicago crime stats: 2020 Totals

18 Comments on Chicago Carjacking questions

  1. As an unedumacated hick from the far suburbs can someone tell me what the “CWB” stands for?

    Good websight when I look for some solace in still being in IL (at least I’m not in Shitcago).

    With the recent passing of the new “Criminal Reform Bill” the guys on the job have hit a new low regarding their: viewpoint, outlook, perspective, stance, standpoint, position, inclination, temper, orientation, approach, reaction; opinion, ideas, convictions, feelings, thinking.

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